Improvement in burial-vaults



S'. G. MAUS. Burial-Vault.

No. 213 ,121 Paterjted 'Man-.11, 1879,

N. PEI'ERS, FMOTO-UTMDGRIFHER. WASHINGTON 'UNITED LLL TATES ATENT FFICE.

SAMUEL Gr. MAUS, OF LEWISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BURlAL-VAULTS.

Specificaticn forning part of Letters Patent No. 2l3,121, dated March ll, li-379 application filed January 28, 1879.

To all whom it maq concem:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL G. MAUS, of Lewisburg, in the connty of Union and State of Pennsylvania, 'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sarcophagi and Burial-Vaults; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specitication.

This inventon relatcs to improvements in the Construction of burial-vaults, its purpose being to construct avault with but little eX- pense, which shall be dur-able, water and air tight, and proof against attempts to remove the body therefrom. V

It consists in combinin'g walls of masonry and walls of cement in such manner as to form a hard and im pervous casin g around the buria-lcasket.

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved Vault, partly shown in broken lines. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section.

In the drawings, Arepresents the side wall, and A' the end wall, of the grave or excavation in which the vault is constructed. This excavation may be of any convenient or desired depth, though I prefer to sink it to a depth of at least six feet.

The vault is prepared by building up the side walls G C' and the end walls D D' with brick, laid in cement or mort-ar, which walls are carried up'to any suitable point. Alayer of cement is applied to the outside of the side and end walls, after which the earth is filled and packed behind the walls np to witlr in a few inches of the top. An abutment is then formed level with the top of the wall, preferably by laying brick edgewise back of the wall, and adapted to support the skewback, as at c c, and the end centers d d. The bottom is then paved with bricks and cement or -mortar, as shown at B, and the skew- F, ordinaril y employed.

backs c c and Centers d d forned as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, leaving an ofiset, d'. After these parts have been prepared a heavy coating or wall of cement is laid on the inside of the ends D D, the sidcs G C, the bottom B, and the parts c c and d (l.

Within the tight chamber that is thus formed is placed the casket containing the corpse, either by itself or inclosed in the box After the casket has been introducedawooden support, G', is placed over it, so as toxrest on the ofi'sets at d' d'. Upon this support G' is then laid the coverin g-arch Gr, of masonry and cement, thus closing the vault. After the arch is completed a thick layer of cement, H, is placed upon the top.

It will be readily seen that I thus constrnct a vault which is at all points absolutely impervious to water, as the cement ceiling H and the arch G prevent the passage of any water downward, and the cement walls E E prevent its passage upward or inward.

After the cement has become hard it is found that it is practically impossible to break open a vault constructed as above described with any of the implements ordinarily employed by those who open graves to remove their contents, the wooden support G' assisting to prevent the pushing in of the top.

I an aware that vaults have been constructed of artificial stone, and of concrete molded or formed over iron or wooden sup ports, and I do not claim such constructions as my invention; but I have found that these constructions necessitate the use of very eX- pensive materials, which cannot be readily procured at all times and places, and which require much skill and care in manipulating, whereas the brick and mortar or cement nec essary to carry out my invention are immediately available to all, and by combining them as described the respective walls of brick and of cement are made to interact, so that the brick chamber, besides being itself largely impervious and impregnable, supports the cement chamber, which latter, in

turn, assists the brick to render the whole walls E, the aroh Gr, and the cement ceilstructure proof against water and ordinary ing H.

blows. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as What I claim as my inventon, and desire my own I affix my signature in presenceof two to secure by Letters Patent, is I witnesses.

A buralwault constructed in a grave or SAML. G. MAUS. excavation in a manner substantially as set Witnesses: 'orth-that is to say, With the bottom B and NORMAN BALLS, the walls O C' D D' of masonry, the cement SGOTT GLINGAN. 

